Facts & Figures

320+ headcount

Over £90 million turnover

105 promotions in 2017

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The right role for you

At Oliver James, we believe in matching the right people to the right roles for their ambitions - and there are plenty of avenues to explore as yours evolve. We want you to feel confident in your choices, which is why we'll work hard to ensure you're in pole position from day one.

Your career with OJ

A defined path – just followed in your own way.

01/07

Associate Consultant

Chloe may have only joined Oliver James in February 17, but she’s already thought of as a promising talent within the business. “I graduated from the University of Manchester in 2016 with a degree in Politics, Philosophy and Economics, and decided that recruitment was the right first step for me.” With recruitment, Chloe saw the opportunity to climb the career ladder quickly, especially when compared to the more traditional route of a graduate scheme. “Most schemes take two or three years to complete, with lots of rotations and no guarantee of work at the end."

Chloe Devlin, Associate Consultant

Consultant

Already have recruitment experience? Get stuck in and start developing a market from day one.

Sam came to Oliver James in 2015 with a natural flair for recruitment, despite starting out his career working for Shell. “I remember being absolutely fixated on going into the oil industry, and while I gained strong experience there, I felt that the market was quite set in its ways.” Realising he wanted to pursue a profession where he would have the freedom to make his own mark, Sam looked into the world of recruitment. Fast-forward two years, and Sam is our foremost Supply Chain and Procurement specialist, a desk he has built singlehandedly by going out into the market, opening doors to new business, and reigniting old relationships with clients demonstrating a need in this area. "Recruitment may not be the typical path for someone with no sales experience, but if you put the work in, the sky’s the limit."

Sam Robinson, Consultant

Senior Consultant

As an Art graduate with little in the way of professional experience, Elizabeth “had no concept of a job that could help other people get jobs!” But when a friend thought she’d be great in the profession, she took a chance and applied to Oliver James. Boundless confidence and natural sales patter landed her the job. “I started out as a Researcher on the FARC Insurance desk, placing contract candidates in a wide range of roles.” Before long, promotion came, despite Elizabeth hearing that most people usually spent eight months as a Researcher. “In reality, I was promoted after just three.”

Elizabeth Charlesworth, Senior Consultant

Managing Consultant

Show your market knowledge and become a consistent biller.

Initially, recruitment wasn’t on Tom’s radar career-wise. In fact, he had joined the army, where he excelled in classes and applied to be an officer. “I broke my foot during a training exercise, and after nine months of recovery, it became apparent I’d sustained lasting damage.”

He knew he would have to move on, and found a fresh start in recruitment. “Being stuck in an office wasn’t what I wanted, so it was important I chose a company that not only allowed me to travel, but encouraged it commercially. I’ll say this – OJ is the antithesis of your average desk job!

Tom Hughes, Managing Consultant, London

Manager

Lead and develop your own team, spreading the wisdom to less-experienced consultants.

Managing Consultant, Lyam Redmond, joined Oliver James in January 2014 with three years’ experience from Reed. His aim? “To join a professional front-end recruitment environment where I could thrive.” And that’s exactly what he’s done. A respected figure on the insurance desk, Lyam has been promoted three times in as many years, with a view to continuing the trend in 2018.

Lyam Redmond, Manager

Principal Consultant

Sarah joined Oliver James Associates Manchester in 2012. She was previously on the Marks & Spencer graduate scheme, managing a team of 35 in-store. Why recruitment? “I actually ran into an old friend, who introduced me to Jimmy, Group Managing Director of Oliver James. It was then that I felt inspired to switch career paths and apply for a recruitment position. I’ve never looked back; the opportunities here have been truly incredible. When you hit the targets, see your name on the leader board and experience the financial rewards, it’s amazing.”

Sarah Robins, Principal Consultant, Manchester

Win business in a different setting, as part of our client support team.

Sarah’s career at Oliver James has been one of transformation – from seasoned recruitment professional on the sales floor to respected client relations specialist in the operations team. Joining the London office three years ago, her role at the company began on our Accountancy desk, where she placed senior candidates in the insurance sector. Though she delivered consistently as a Senior Consultant, diversification in the business model brought about a new opportunity for Sarah. “In July 2015, we learned that Oliver James would be building on its client-facing work, and that meant I had a chance to draw on my broader experience.” She was to take on the entirely new role of Client Relations Manager, enabling the business to offer a centralised approach to client care. “What was great about this was that I could use this strategic element to the role to expand my insurance knowledge. I enjoy the broader commercial acumen I gain from driving client engagement and enhancing Oliver James’s perception as we focus on both retaining and winning new clients.”

Sarah Coombs, Client Relations Manager

Associate Director

Lead your teams from the front.

Victoria joined Oliver James in 2004 from SThree Group, a global recruitment agency that was also home to none other than Oliver James co-founder and Group Managing Director, James Rogers. There, Victoria was a top biller for the Progressive brand, recruiting in the IT industry. Today, Victoria heads up a small desk that places KPMG and Deloitte’s most senior positions, a role exclusive to her. “I understand these companies implicitly, recruiting executive level candidates with the aid of decision makers I’ve known for years.” She intends to spend at least the next five years at Oliver James. “One of the things I love most about my job is the relationships I get to build. Over the last couple of years, I’ve really enjoyed training and developing the other consultants. Anybody who’s thinking of applying to Oliver James, don’t hesitate. Be prepared to work hard, with the promise of exceptional remuneration for your efforts.”

Victoria Heathcote, Associate Director, London

Director

Implement change at a strategic level as a trusted member of the board.

At 21, Ben came to Oliver James with a degree in Geography and Geology, and some basic direct sales experience. He wasn’t to know his journey would be one of the company’s most successful, leading to five desks under his watch and three consecutive awards for the ‘Year’s Highest Billing Consultant’, as well as him breaking the company’s 12-month billing record of £1.07 million – a feat he achieved in 2016. “I like to help the people in my teams, supporting them through each stage of the recruitment process so they can become repeat billers.” Culturally, Ben views Oliver James as “work hard play hard, while still being caring. You get all the help you need because the management wants to ensure everyone has the resources to thrive.”